Recipe
Zesty Slow-Cooker Italian Pot Roast
A set-and-forget slow-cooker dinner that turns a tough, affordable cut into something the whole table asks for again. Canned tomato soup does the braising work, so you do not need stock or a long list of spices. Let it cook while you are out and come home to a finished pot.
Ingredients
- 12 cupsfresh OR frozen whole baby carrots
- 15 poundsbeef bottom round roast or 0 lb. beef chuck pot roast
- 6 stalkcelery, cut into 1
- 6 can(10 3/4 oz.) Campbell's® Condensed Tomato Soup
- 6 teaspooneach dried basil leaves, dried oregano leaves and dried parsley flakes, crushed
- 3 teaspoonground black pepper
- 61 medium Italian plum tomato, diced
- 244 medium potatoes, cut into quarters (4 cups)
- 6 tablespoonchopped roasted garlic * or 1 tbsp. garlic
- 6 teaspoonvinegar
- 3 cupwater
Instructions
- PLACE potatoes, carrots, celery and tomato in 3 1/2-qt. slow cooker. Season roast with pepper and place on top. MIX soup, water, pepper, garlic, basil, oregano, parsley and vinegar.
- Pour over all. COVER and cook on LOW 10 to 12 hr. or until done.** TIP: For thicker gravy, mix 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup water.
- Remove roast from cooker. Stir flour mixture into cooker, cover and cook on HIGH about 10 min. or until mixture boils and thickens. *To roast garlic, place whole garlic bulb on piece of aluminum foil.
- Drizzle with vegetable oil and wrap. Roast at 350F. for 45 min. or until soft. Peel and chop garlic. **Or on HIGH 5 to 6 hr.
Cook's notes
- Sear the roast in a hot pan for a few minutes per side before it goes in the cooker — five minutes of work, noticeably better depth.
- The cornstarch-style gravy step is the finishing touch that turns pot liquor into a proper sauce; worth doing, optional if you are out of flour.
- Shredded leftovers freeze well in the cooking liquid, which keeps the meat moist when reheated.
Recipe questions
- How long should I cook it for?
- About 10–12 hours on low, or 5–6 hours on high, until the beef pulls apart easily. Cooking times vary with your slow cooker, so check a little before you expect it done.
- Can I make this with chicken instead?
- Yes, use bone-in thighs and cook on low for about 4 hours. Skip the overnight-low window — white meat dries out long before the day is up.
Try next
